The Exile and the Arrow
by fohreals
Summary: Set before Noxus' invasion of Ionia. Believed dead in Noxus, Riven starts a new life in Ionia under the guise of a runaway servant.
1. Chapter 1

10 days. It had been at least 10 days, she assumed, that she had festering in this small jail cell for doing something that was labeled as her jailers put it, treasonous and a "threat to the peace". One would expect to be told what these treasonous crimes she committed were and to be given a fair trial. Unfortunately for Riven she was hurried from her home one morning with a warrant for her arrest and a sword threatening to enter her head if she failed to comply.

It had shocked many when they saw Riven being dragged from her home by the Noxian police. Riven was what many had considered as a poster child, a hero. She was a great warrior who went from poverty to riches and a young woman who was talented on the battlefield. Most parents expressed to her in fan letters how they wanted their children to be like her when they were older, so it didn't come as a shock to her when people cried her name in the streets and begged for her autograph on a daily basis. Funny enough though, these same people now laughed at the thought of her being put in jail. Who in their right mind would be so careless enough to damage such a good reputation?

What had she done, exactly, that caused her fall? Rumors were abundant. Some say she spoke against the invasion of Ionia to the higher ups, the same invasion that is promised to expand Noxus' power and influence among all of Valoran. Others say that she turned out to be a Demacian spy and must be put to death for her betrayal. The truth that she accepted was that she had been framed for something that she didn't do.

When the guard checked on her the morning of the 10th day she was laying in the fetal position, somewhat awake.

"Wake up, ye stupid whore." He spat. She groaned and tried to stand up, failing. She was weak from the lack of food she was given and tired from the endless screams of the naughty prisoners around her who received daily beatings for their bad behavior. Again and again she tried to get up, trembling more in every attempt. Feeling empathy from the sight of the once great warrior who had fallen so low, the guard opened the cell and helped her get up.

"Ay, I'll give ye a piece of bread if you stop moping. I got some news today, Riven. One of the General's daughter wants to see you. Something about yer case." He took note of how her once proud face was now covered in dirt, her pale hair covered in grime and gave her his handkerchief in pity. "Try to make yerself look nice."

_Look nice? For one of the General's daughters? _She was taken aback. She didn't give a shit what those harlots thought of her. Her social life was over anyways, if not her entire life itself.

Riven didn't even attempt to clean her face or make herself look presentable. The guard grew impatient from her insolence and dragged her out of the cell. He showed her down the hall to where he was ordered to take her and went on his way, not wanting to see the girl that evoked both pity and disgust in him any longer.

Riven hesitated. She tried to brainstorm how she could escape, if there were anyway she could….

The door before her opened and guards surrounded her. Kneel on the ground, they told her. Katarina would arrive shortly. She did what she was told and pressed her cheek cold to the ground.

"Rise." The red haired beauty ordered, and again, Riven complied.

"Commander Riven, What a surprise to see you here! Or should I just call you Riven the Traitor, since your crimes have stripped you of all your titles?" Katarina laughed. The torture and pain of others never seemed to faze her. Riven formed a fist in her hand at the insult and was about to retort when Kat continued, her tone now less joyful and more somber, "Have you heard that my father has gone on vacation? Ah, surely he will come back soon. He's never gone too long. He left a note stating that I'm in charge. It's my first time wielding so much power."

Riven remained silent. She didn't care and would've made a point in letting Katarina know, but it was punishable by death to insult the great General or any of the DuCoteaus.

"Such quietness is odd from you Riven. Your attitude was always shameful." Katarina paused and then continued, "You weren't so quiet at that gathering a few weeks back where you were drooling all over my sister's fiance."

Riven blushed as memories of that night flooded back in her head. Whenever she was around Talon, the fiance in question, she lost her persona of a strong, independant warrior and acted like a nervous schoolgirl.

"Anyways I have a favor to ask you. The invasion of Ionia will be happening in a few months, as you have heard." Katarina grimaced and started to pace around the room like a dictator, "We have many destinations and targets. One of them is a temple in Ionia that contains a powerful beast that could wipe out thousands. We must capture it and use it to our advantage."

"What does this have to do with me?" Riven piqued. She never thought they'd let a "traitor" they so called her on a mission.

"Your job is simple. What you need to do is slay the warden of the temple and take control of it. I've heard many rumors of him and his strength and I feel that you will be able to match him from your stats. If you do happen to succeed in slaying the warden, I will give you back your honor and titles."

"And if I refuse?" Riven looked into Katarina's eyes and noticed the fire burning within them at her insolence. She wasn't exactly in the position to consider refusing her.

"I trust that you will accept my offer without any difficulties, traitor, or you can expect your head to roll."


	2. Chapter 2

Before she left, she wanted to say goodbye to Talon. He was the only one of these rotten people that she would truly miss on her journey. He had helped her settle into Noxian high society and had been a good friend to her. Riven asked Katarina if he could see her off before she went on her journey. Katarina eyed her cautiously. Rumors have swirled among them for months about their budding relationship, even though he was engaged to Cassio.

"Normally I would say no, however he will be at the harbor today to complete a last minute mission and you will have the opportunity to see him there before you leave. I will allow it."

Riven thanked her and hurried on her way.

* * *

The harbor was crowded as usual with greedy merchants and wailing, noisy people. The salty sea air had a pungent smell that made the hot day even more difficult to stand for Riven, who was wearing a peasant's heavy winter dress with huge pockets as well as a large hood in order to hide her identity. These strange orders of course could only come from Katarina.

Clutching in tow the boat ticket that Kat gave her, Riven pushed through the crowd and tried to find the man she wanted so desperately to see. His purple hood and clothing often made him flamboyant among people but this time she couldn't seem to spot him anywhere. There was a crowd gathering around around a shop but it was no use going near to see if he was there, Talon hated being in the spotlight and always worked in the shadows. After a half hour of searching, she finally realized that Katarina was probably joking around with her when she said he was going to be here as a last act of torture on her feelings. Sighing, she asked a stranger for the time and learned that it would take at least 15 minutes before the boat would begin boarding.

Riven paced back and forth along a not so crowded dock in an attempt to find solace from the noisy crowd, only to find vendors screaming in her face about their amazing products that would prevent sea sickness and miracle creams that would stop aches. A beggar boy came by and asked for spare change and she had to politely refuse.

"I'm sorry, little boy. I have no money." She told him. The boy tugged on her dress when she attempted to walk away from him

"Why do you have a boat ticket then, ay?" He took a look at her face underneath the hood before she turned away in shame.

"Such pale hair!" He gasped, "In Noxus of all places! You must be that Commander everyone has been talking about! Riven, right?" Riven looked around to see if anyone heard what he had said and hushed the child. People were too busy around that shop still, it seemed.

"Will you keep your voice down little boy? I don't need any unnecessary attention. And yes, I am her."

"Stop calling me a little boy! I'm a yordle. A yordle!" He whimpered in response.

"What's a yordle doing in Noxus? And why are you telling me this?" She asked him. If any of the higher ups learned that a yordle was on Noxus mainland they would dispose of them immediately. Most Noxians considered yordles sub-human and a waste of space. The yordle's face turned grave as he seemed to have remembered something.

"How are you alive?" He asked, his tone serious, while poking at her skin to see if she if she was real. Riven paused in her movements.

"What do you mean, why am I alive? Why wouldn't I be alive?"

"I just saw you get killed by some drunk assassin in purple, that's why! He sliced your neck open, like this!" He took his finger and stroked it horizontally against his neck. "Then he shouted, 'Oh Riven, how could you turn out to be such a traitor! After all Noxus has done for you.. After all I..' and then he threw up all over your dead face before he could continue." The yordle stopped and then began again, "Don't you see that group of people over there? They're looking at your body! You some sort of ghost?"

Riven was shocked. Everything made sense now. Why she couldn't find him. Why Katarina permitted her to see him. Katarina never wanted to restore her titles or honor, she just wanted her dead. The pain of learning that Talon had killed her, or someone that he thought was her, made her feel numb inside.

"Ghost lady you okay?" The yordle's small voice broke her chain of thought.

"I'm not a ghost. That - that wasn't me. That was someone who he thought was me. Someone who looked like me." Tears streamed down her face. Now there was really no hope of her regaining her life back in Noxus. She hoped that Talon would help her. She hoped that he would ask General DuCoteau to have some mercy on her when she returned from Ionia. But now she was dead, and Talon, her friend, had killed her. He would be bestowed with 300 gold for doing so. The yordle realized what was happening and grabbed her hand.

"Hey, don't cry. I won't tell anyone who you are. Besides, if people think you're dead, that means you're safe now! Although I wish I could say the same for that girl he thought was you." Riven realized the little yordle was right and wiped the tears from her face. She still had her boat ticket. It wasn't like Katarina was going to check if a dead person boarded on a boat. She could begin a new life in Ionia.

A large honk filled her ears. Riven turned her eyes to the boat she was supposed to go on and noticed that it was starting to board. She hurried towards the boat when she remembered that the little yordle would probably face death if she didn't find a way to get him out of Noxus. She had to help him.

"You're just like me yordle. And you practically saved my life by informing me of what happened, so I'll return the favor." Riven grabbed the little yordle, hit him on the back of his head to knock him out and stuffed him inside one of her large pockets. The dress was useful after all.


	3. Chapter 3

The boat took off for Ionia when the sun started to set on the eastern sky. She found her way to the back of the boat and sat down against the railing before placing the unconscious yordle on her lap. Only now did she notice the fair fur that covered his skin. What had propelled her to save him? She was raised believing that yordles were abominations, a waste of air that needed to be eliminated. To Riven's dismay he woke up shortly after the boat departed.

"Ugh," He placed his little hand on his head, "Where am I?" The yordle opened his drowsy eyes to meet Riven, who was staring directly at his face. "You! Why did you hit me? Get away from me!"

Stating the obvious she responded, "You're awake." He shifted in her lap, his face flushed from realizing he had been sleeping on her.

"Yes I'm awake damnit! What did you hit me for?"

"I needed to hide you in my dress to take you with me. I only had one boat ticket. No need to get all offensive." Riven felt piqued by his curtness.

"One boat ticket! Wait, we're on a boat?" He took a glance past her and saw the great ocean before him.

"That's right yordle. We're on our way to Ionia. Now I know you're upset that I hit you, but you have to realize-" She was going to tell him that anywhere was better than Noxus and that he should be thankful for her saving him from that wretched place when he took her by surprise and hugged her.

"Thank you," he told her. Riven patted his head in response and sighed.

"I'm, uh, glad you understand." She figured that he was happy to be away from the threat of Noxus just like her. After several moments of awkward silence, his little raspy voice spoke up.

"I'm not going to miss Noxus at all. I hated it there!"

She asked where he was from. He had to of been from bandle city originally, but yordles sometimes could be found in other places in Valoran.

"Bandle City. Where else? You're such a blockhead!"

Riven pushed him off her lap. He was the one who went to Noxus, where people tortured yordles for entertainment. How dare he call her a blockhead!

"I've heard stories of yordles moving to other cities you brat! How did you end up in Noxus if you're from Bandle City? Don't you know what happens to yordles in Noxus?"

He sat down next to her and his tone turned solemn. "I was supposed to move to Ionia. I went on the wrong boat and it took me to Noxus. I had no money to buy another ticket when I arrived."

"Fate has given you a second chance to go it seems." She mused. "But why Ionia?"

"I'm going to become a ninja." He jumped and karate chopped the top of her head. "HIYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

"You….." She chastised him by slapping his furry little face. "You're insufferable!"

"I don't know what that means. But at least I'm not a blockhead, blockhead!" He stuck out his tongue. At this point, Riven was about to explode and decided to vent it out by taking a walk.

"I'll be back." She said with anger seething in her voice.

* * *

Riven paced towards the front deck of the boat. "Please sir," She saw a woman with a small bundle on her back begging to a vendor. "I have no money. My child and I are starving."

"No can do lady. Business is tough right now."

"Hey!" Riven walked towards them. "Can't you see the baby on her back? Show some kindness!"

"Miss," He looked her over from top to bottom, "Peasant, I mean. This doesn't concern you."

"It does actually. And I'm no peasant. I'm the daughter of the captain of this ship." She lied. "Do you want me to tell my father that you deny my friend bread, even though he gives you space on his ship to sell your overpriced garbage?"

The vendor handed the woman a loaf and she thanked him. Riven placed her hand on her stomach. She too, was hungry.

"The captain's daughter, huh? That's a new one." The woman whispered in her ear. "Come child, I must thank you properly for your kindness." She walked away from the vendor and the women pointed out a small purple tent. "Come inside."

"I am the daughter of the great Starchild Soraka. I lack my mother's healing abilities, but I am able to do something she cannot. I can see into the future", The woman said while sitting down, motioning to the pale haired girl in front of her to do the same. "Give me your hand."

"Why do you have a tent? We're going to be in Ionia by tomorrow morning. Isn't it a bit too much?" Riven asked her while placing her hand in the woman's.

"Weather is unpredictable and I have a child with me," She blinked and looked back to see if the baby was still sound asleep. Riven was about to ask if she could have some of the bread the vendor gave her when the woman started talking again, "I see, I see." _You obviously don't see how ridiculous it is to bring a tent on a boat._

"I see a man carrying you across a castle. You're sleeping."

"Do you see any bread? I'm hungry."

"I see someone crying now. Crying! Oh no, he's falling off the ship now, he's falling!" She started to shriek, drool dripping out of her mouth.

"This is ridiculous. I'm tired and I need to sleep. My friend is waiting for me to return. Are you going to give me some of that bread I got you or not?" Riven wasn't interested in hearing the woman's nonsense. Her stomach rumbled.

"Oh please spare us. Spare us all!" The insane woman started to wail, tugging on Riven's arm. Sick of her nonsense, Riven left the tent and ran back to the end of the boat to find the yordle sleeping against the railing safe and sound. She gave a sigh of relief and lay down next to him before closing her eyes for some shut eye. Tomorrow was going to be the first day of her new life and she would need it.


End file.
